Inspired by the Zabar's babkas founder Michael Zabar grew up on, Motif's Cinnamon Babka syrup is nostalgia in a bottle. Learn where babka came from, how the syrup was crafted, and the best ways to enjoy it.
Coffee beans aren’t the only essential part of the brewing experience. Today’s coffee lovers elevate their daily ritual with milk, creamers, alternative milks, sugar, and — most notably — flavored coffee syrups. According to the National Coffee Association, 88% of U.S. coffee drinkers customize their beverages, proving that personalization is now a core part of coffee culture.
Among the many customization options, flavored syrups have become staples. Founder and CEO Michael Zabar chose 3 syrup flavors that reflect his Italian and New York heritage, as well as the timeless legacy of his family business - Zabar’s, a cultural icon in New York City known for its baked goods. From that inspiration, the Cinnamon Babka flavored syrup was born.
Cinnamon babka is a sweet, twisted loaf enriched with cinnamon, sugar, and warm spices. Soft, buttery dough is spread with cinnamon filling, rolled, twisted, and baked until golden before being glazed for a sweet finish. The result: a bread that is sweet, slightly spicy, and beautifully swirled: perfect as a dessert or breakfast treat.
Today, cinnamon babka (along with the equally famous chocolate babka) is a beloved staple across Jewish-American bakeries and New York institutions, including Zabar’s.
According to Goldbelly, babka originated in the 1800s within Ashkenazi Jewish communities across Poland, Lithuania, Ukraine, and Belarus. It was often made from extra challah dough and filled with jam or spices before being baked.
Though introduced to New York bakeries mid-century, babka didn’t explode in popularity until the 1970s. Since then, stores like Zabar’s have become synonymous with the iconic cinnamon babka that Michael grew up enjoying.
Zabar’s customers have been lining up for its fresh-baked babkas since day one - based on a cherished family recipe. That nostalgia inspired Michael to capture the flavor in a syrup that honors his heritage.
Crafting the perfect natural Cinnamon Babka coffee syrup meant capturing both the sweet-spicy cinnamon swirl and the subtle warm bread flavor that makes babka so distinctive.
Motif’s product development involved three rounds of testing with food scientists, with each iteration refined based on tasting feedback.
Before the first batch was created, Michael brought a Zabar’s cinnamon babka loaf directly to Motif’s food science partners. The goal was clear: deliver a syrup that tastes like the moment you slice into a fresh loaf of cinnamon babka — sweet, warm, nostalgic, and unmistakably New York.
Each round brought the development team closer to bottling the flavor of fresh babka, and the final result is a syrup that truly reflects Motif’s commitment to crafting clean-label syrups made with real ingredients.
One of the best parts of Motif’s natural syrups is their versatility. Our Cinnamon Babka syrup pairs beautifully with:
Hot coffee
Iced coffee
Cold brew
Lattes and cappuccinos
Hot or iced tea
Cocktails
Over desserts like ice cream, pastries, and pancakes
Michael’s personal favorite? A cinnamon babka ice coffee for the perfect balance of sweetness and spice.
Whether you’re brewing at home or behind the bar at a café, cinnamon babka adds a warm, comforting flavor that transforms any drink.
Motif’s
Cinnamon Babka coffee syrup brings a beloved New York baked good into your daily ritual - naturally, cleanly, and deliciously. It’s nostalgia in a bottle, crafted with care and inspired by the Zabar’s legacy.
